NYSE pauses for NZ massacre victims

Traders at the New York Stock Exchange paused for a moment's silence on Friday morning, for victims of the two mosque shootings in New Zealand that left at least 49 people dead and wounded more than 40 during Friday prayers.

Rough cut (no reporter narration)

NYSE pauses for NZ massacre victims

ROUGH CUT (no reporter narration) STORY: Traders at the New York Stock Exchange paused for a moment's silence on Friday morning, for victims of the two mosque shootings in New Zealand that left at least 49 people dead and wounded more than 40 during Friday prayers.

A gunman broadcast livestream footage on Facebook of the attack on one mosque in the city of Christchurch, mirroring the carnage played out in video games, after publishing a "manifesto" in which he denounced immigrants, calling them "invaders".

New Zealand was placed on its highest security threat level, Ardern said, adding that "this can now only be described as a terrorist attack".

Police said three people were in custody including one man in his late 20s who had been charged with murder.

He will appear in court on Saturday.

Police Commissioner Mike Bush said 49 people had been killed in total.

Health authorities said 48 people were being treated for gunshot wounds, including young children.

U.S. President Donald Trump condemned the "horrible massacre" in what the White House called a "vicious act of hate".

"The U.S. stands by New Zealand for anything we can do," Trump wrote in a post on Twitter.

The gunman's manifesto praised Trump as "a symbol of renewed white identity and common purpose".